ATHLEISURE MAG #94 OCT ISSUE | PREPPING FOR THE HOLIDAYS Gaby Dalkin

We've been fans of Gaby Dalkin for a number of years and always enjoy seeing when she has new products that come out with Williams Sonoma which takes our tastebuds to the next level. A few years ago during the pandemic, we caught up with her to talk about her brand and products that had recently launched, so when we had the opportunity to touchbase with her again ahead of the holiday seasonwe had to catch up with her as she always has something going on, dish on grilling, getting her tips on how to navigate the holiday season when you're hosting from preparing, cooking, and of course cleaning up! We also wanted to see how we can be ready for all the planning of holiday gatherings whether we know in advance or an impromptu get together makes itself known!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have had the pleasure of interviewing you a few years ago as you had introduced various seasonings that would take our brunch and breakfast to the next level so clearly, we know you have ideas when it comes to Thanksgiving as well! Before we get into the upcoming holiday, what have you been up to and tell us about your new cookbook!

GABY DALKIN: The new cookbook is called Grilling and it comes out next May! There are recipes that are definitely Thanksgiving-adjacent – we live in California so obviously we grill all year round, but there are a ton of grilled salads and root vegetables that can easily translate to Thanksgiving.

AM: With its focus on grilling, tell us what you enjoy about grilling?

GD: I have a California state of mind at all times – I think it’s a really healthy way to live and maximize time outside. I’m always looking to get outside and grill because the flavor that comes to your food from grilling is extraordinary. It’s the same as roasting, which we’ll be doing a lot of this Thanksgiving. I also love that you can have a lot of people around you when you’re grilling and be entertaining while cooking but I think what I’m most excited about is to break into a very male-dominated world of grilling as a female!

AM: In many ways, Thanksgiving has many dishes that are staples for many of us while also having the ability to have various twists on it. Tell us a recipe that we can include as we prepare for the holiday season!

GD: I’m a stuffing girl through and through and this recipe for the Ultimate Cheesy Herb Sourdough Stuffing that I did for Finish® is quite possibly the best stuffing you’ll ever make. I’m obsessed with it – it’s bubbly and cheesy and bready and everything about it is what you want on your Thanksgiving table. And you don’t have to worry about clean-up because if you’re stocked with Finish® Ultimate dishwashing tabs like I am, those tough to clean, burnt-on stains from the stuffing will come right off in the dishwasher.

AM: Thanksgiving has a lot of moving parts and we have talked with a number of culinary experts and chefs on what that timeline looks like as it begins prior to Turkey Day! What should be our timeline that we incorporate when it comes to purchasing items, prepping, etc to reduce the stress that this holiday can create.

GD: Funny you should ask! Finish® and I put together The Ultimate Thanksgiving Timer, an epic timeline that has everything you need for Thanksgiving – from when you should start shipping, when to start the table, when to start various dishes, it’s got you covered. If you go to UltimateThanksgivingExperience.com, you can sign up and it’ll send you reminders on what to do on certain days and keep you on track. I’m sure most hosts out there can relate, but I love making lists and crossing things off, so it’s a great tool to make things easier on such a hectic day.

AM: When you're hosting Thanksgiving at home, what are things that we should have on hand and how should the actual day be constructed so that we're getting meals on the table that are hot and on time, while also still being able to be with friends and family!

GD: I have three parts to this answer – first is to make sure your pantry and fridge are stocked with every ingredient that you need. Make you list and check it twice and do as much of your grocery shopping as you can ahead of time.

Next is to set the table a day or two before Thanksgiving. You can pick out your glassware and have different platters selected that you’re serving on and save yourself a step Thanksgiving morning.

The third part is to make sure your cabinets are stocked with Finish Ultimate – it works in the toughest conditions to take care of burnt-on stains so that when you’re done cooking and entertaining, clean-up is a breeze and you’re not spending hours cleaning your kitchen.

AM: The clean up is always that segment that seems the most daunting as you want to clean throughout, but it seems no matter how you stay on top of that, you're still left with a lot to do after the big feast, what are some tips that you can share with us?

GD: I always say to clean as you go. For me, loading my dishwasher and running it in the morning after I’ve completed as much prep as I can and then unloading it and having it ready to go for people’s arrival is a huge pro tip. Make sure you have Finish Ultimate and Jet Dry loaded in your dishwasher as well so everything comes out sparkling and ready to be put away or used in some fashion. This may also be controversial, but I’m very particular about how my dishwasher is loaded, so I’ll allow my guests to move their dishes to the counter and I’ll load it – it makes my life easier because then I don't have to worry about people's loading habits. So choose your clean-up plan of attack wisely!

AM: Thanksgiving kicks off a myriad of holiday events all the way into the New Year! What are things that we should have on hand in order to be ready for impromptu gatherings that we may host or to bring with us to thank those for having us?

GD: I would say have a handful of cheese and crackers is always helpful. If you’re going to be serving drinks, have a stocked drink fridge and cool ice prepped and ready to go in your freezer. I would always have some puff pastry in your freezer and a wheel of brie in your fridge so you can whip up a baked brie in a moments notice - that’s never going to upset anyone! And make sure you have cocktail napkins, Finish® Ultimate and plenty of paper towels.

If you're in the midst of planning your Thanksgiving meal or other holiday gatherings, we couldn't let Gaby go without finding out about how to make her Ultimate Cheesy Herb Sourdough Stuffing.

ULTIMATE CHEESY HERB SOURDOUGH STUFFING

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Sourdough bread with crust cut into 1-inch cubes (roughly 8 cups)

• 10 tablespoons butter

• 2 shallots, finely sliced

• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced

• ¾ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 3 large eggs

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 6 ounces coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread the ripped or cubed bread on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bread is dry, about 15 minutes. Cool.

Melt 10 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and celery and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add green onions, all the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté until celery is tender, 6 to 8 minutes more.

Generously grease a large skillet or ceramic baking dish. Place bread cubes in very large bowl. Add warm vegetable mixture; toss to combine.

Whisk eggs and ¾ cup broth in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to stuffing and toss to coat. Mix in Parmesan.

Add more broth (about ½ to ¾ cup) to stuffing if dry. Transfer to skillet or ceramic baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve in baking vessel or transfer to a serving platter.

@whatsgabycookin

PHOTO CREDITS | Matt Armendariz